Arslan: The Warriors of Legend (PS4)

Without the need to lean on the historical circumstances of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Dynasty Warriors can tell a capable story – Arslan shows how. Seamless segues between lengthy narrative bits and battlefield combat are pleasing. So is the lush anime-soaked aesthetic.

Much is the same. Thousands of foes, lots of swords, goals flickering on a map; Arslan doesn’t move the formula so much as soak it up and reapply.

Fairy tale lands lean toward real world circumstances, depicting Persian mythos with the Japanese flair for the eccentric. The perspective, as sourced from a manga and 1980s visual novel, is culturally unique. Combat, although slightly deliberate compared to the sparks and trails of Dynasty Warriors, remains derivative yet pleasing in excess.